Open Philanthropy funding – FAQs
What was the Open Philanthropy Fund?
The Open Philanthropy fund was run by NPC as part of wider programme to demonstrate the benefits of open, transparent and inclusive philanthropy. Funds were raised from Trusts and Foundations by NPC to run this work and the grants were made to address financial hardship in the UK. Please note that the Open Philanthropy funds are now closed and all decisions have been made. There are no plans to reopen these funds, and information on this page is for reference only.
Who will be making the decisions?
We have brought together two panels, comprising people with lived experience, professionals, funders, and researchers. These panels have designed the scheme, set the priorities and will be making the final decisions on who receives the funding.
Can I apply to both open philanthropy funds?
No, please choose one fund to apply into
What is the maximum grant amount I can apply for?
Panel A fund no minimum, maximum £15,000
Panel B fund minimum £5,000 and £25,000
How many organisations are likely to be funded in total
Panel A The total size of this funding pot is £250,000, so we can award approximately 16 grants at the maximum amount of £15,000
Panel B The total size of this funding pot is £125,000, so we can award either 25 grants at £5000 or five grants at £25,000, or a combination of both.
What are the key priorities for Panel A
All can apply, but the fund will prioritise organisations supporting: asylum seekers, young people, BAME communities, those with experience of domestic violence, single parent households, and women and girls.
What are the key priorities for Panel B
All can apply, but the fund will prioritise organisations supporting: young people, BAME communities, single parent households, people with disabilities, and asylum seekers and those with no recourse to public funds.
What are the differences between Panel A and Panel B funds?
Please see the table at the bottom of the funding page.
Is turnover a strict eligibility limit?
For Panel A – if your income is close to the limit, you can explain why you believe you should be eligible.
For Panel B- only organisations with turnover of less than £200,000 can apply.
When is the deadline to apply?
5pm on Friday 16th December
When will we find out whether we have been successful?
The final panels will meet in late January so you should hear by 13th February.
If I am successful, what reporting will be needed?
We will ask you to let us know what impacts that your funds have had in September– this will be a short survey or telephone interview. We will not ask you complete a long questionnaire, and there will be an option to share a report you have created already, perhaps for another funder, if it covers the impacts from this funding. There will also be audio or video options to present your impacts.
How can I find out more about Open Philanthropy?
There is lots of information about the wider programme on our website.
We are also producing a toolkit for others who want to become more open in their philanthropy and grant-giving, bringing together the learning from this programme.
If I am unsuccessful, will I receive feedback?
We aim to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants by the end of February 2023.
If I am ineligible, where can I go for support?
Please see our list of other financial hardship support.
I have accessibility needs, who can I talk to?
Please email alfie.vaughan@thinknpc.org and let us know how we can help.
How can I support this work?
Please contact the programme manager, Jane Dodson on jane.dodson@thinknpc.org if you’d like to support this work or have any further questions. Thank you!
